I Owe Him my Life
by Edwardslove
Summary: Edward left, Bella meets a new vampire friend. After that some wrong place at wrong time and Bella is changed. 50 years later she runs into the Cullens again. Will Bella forgive him, or will she find peace in her new friend.
1. Changes

**This is a story about Bella being in the wrong place at the wrong time and getting changed, but not before she meets another vampire.**

**Give it a chance please.**

It's been fifty years. He kept good on his promise to never see me again. Like I promised, I moved on, so to speak.

"Dammit, Bella! I can't stand seeing you like this! You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mom! I've already bought you a plane ticket." Charlie shouted, slamming his fist down on the table.

"No, Charlie! I told you, I'm not leaving Forks, I like it here." I countered.

It's been four months since **he** left. I found I still could not say his name, let alone think it. I still looked like I'd been in a train wreck. I just did not care anymore.

Charlie sighed, and got up from the kitchen table to get his fishing gear.

"Billy and I are going fishing, by the time I come back; I expect to see your bag packed, the plane leaves at eight tomorrow morning." With that, he left. I heard his police cruiser start, and the gravel in the driveway spew against the house window as he took off in a hurry.

I sighed. I was still set in my ways here, and I knew that Charlie would not forcibly remove me from his house, no matter how much he wanted me to move in with my mom. He loved me, he just did not want to see me like this, all torn up from the inside out.

After a few minutes of thinking to myself, I sighed and got up from the table myself. After washing the breakfast dishes, a decided I needed to go for a walk.

I walked, that's all I could do. I thought of **him, **his family, and my life before meeting him. How could he expect me to go back to that after all that's happened between us?

I silently cursed myself when I cut myself on a nearby branch. I looked at my hand, it was only a little cut, but the blood flowed freely.

I was pulled out of my thoughts long enough to hear a twig snap. I quickly turned around to come face to face with…Edward?

No. I was sure this was not Edward. This stranger was about three inches taller with the same bronze-collared hair, kept in almost the same style. I knew he was a vampire by how quietly he snuck up on me, and that he was ghost pale. He looked to be about twenty-five or so, and he had a mixed expression of confusion and shock plastered on his face.

I stared at him for what seemed like hours when he finally spoke, slowly coming closer to me, "What are you doing this far from town?" I wondered why he has not attacked me yet. I know he could smell my blood.

I recovered long enough to look at his eyes, gold. So this unknown vampire doesn't hunt humans. I instantly relaxed. He noticed.

"You should not be this far from town, bears were spotted around here." He spoke, still cautiously coming closer, like he did not trust himself.

I was not sure what to say. I knew what he was, but he didn't know, I knew. Part of me wanted to run screaming back to the house. The other half wanted to run into his stone arms and sob uncontrollably.

"Would you like a ride back to town? My truck is parked not far from here." He was about two feet from me now, motioning his head toward where he probably came from.

"I…I know what you are." I said after breaking out of my silence.

He froze, the look of shock now more dominant on his face, but he recovered quickly, still trying to play the part of the helpful human, "W…What do you mean?"

Still staring at him, keeping my calm, I said, "You're a vampire." I stated. "I know because I used to know a family of vampires."

He just looked at me, not sure whether or not to believe me or not. But when he saw that I was serious, he sighed, dropping his guard, "Yes, I am. How do you know about vampires? You're not one." He said.

"They used to live around here, they're not here anymore. They…left a while ago. I also know you don't hunt humans because of your eyes." I said, trying and failing to hide my sadness.

He still seemed unsure about whether or not to approach me, but after a few moments he did, still cautious, like at any moment I would call his bluff and run to the nearest phone to call the police, telling them there was a crazy man here thinking he was a vampire.

I felt safe enough in his presence to act on my latter half of thinking. I lunged forward. I managed to catch him off guard but he did not run from me. I threw myself into his arms and started crying. Mostly because now I was sure that Edward was real, that it was not some horrid nightmare.

He stood stone still, frozen with shock, but still did not retreat from me. He seemed to soften and put his arms around me as to comfort me. We stood like that for what seemed like days, me crying my eyes out in front of this stranger. I'm sure that this was unexpected for him as well, having some human he just met throw herself at him and start blubbering all over his shirt.

He took it in stride though, holding me to his chest, rocking me side to side, saying, "Shhh. It's okay. Shh." Over and over again. Part of me thought that he was used to this, being a shoulder for someone to cry on.

Once my eyes finally ran dry, I slowly pulled away and looked at him, "Sorry, I don't know what came over me. You must think I'm crazy."

I could see he was still shocked but his eyes were warm, and he smiled, "No, you're not crazy. I used to do the same thing for my wife when she was upset. You look almost exactly like her actually." Suddenly his eyes were in some distant memory, and a sad look crossed his perfect features.

"How old are you?" I asked, hoping that it was an innocent enough question.

"Physically, I'm twenty-four years old. I'm actually over 120 years old." He looked at me with an expression I could not, for the life of me, read.

"Wow. You're older than most of the Cul-… the vampires I used to know." I almost lost it.

"Yeah, I guess so." He said, that warm smile still on his face. I know he caught my slip-up but to my relief, he did not address it. "I should be getting home, the others will be wondering where I am. Would you like that ride now?" He asked, standing.

I nodded, and he reached his hand out to me and I took it. "My name is Bella."

"Luke." Was all he said, a smile still on his lips.

As we walked to his truck, I felt brave enough to ask, "So, you had a wife?

He stopped short and I wondered if I hit a nerve, "Oh, I'm sorry; you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." How stupid I was. Wanting to know more about him, I might have just pushed him away.

He seemed to relax then, "Thanks. That's a story for another time." He said

I perked up, "So we'll see each other again?"

"Yes. I actually live pretty far away from here but it's no problem to come see you again. Where do you live?"

"Just over that hill." I said, pointing.

We got to his truck finally. It was a monster of a truck; it was a big Chevy GM lifted about six inches. I was sure that it was illegal to drive in most states. I got in the passenger side and we took off down the dirt trail towards my house.

When we got to my house, I got out and walked around to the driver's side window. "Will you come again tomorrow?" I asked.

He was lost in thought for a moment but then he finally said, "Yes, I can do that. I'll see you tomorrow, Bella." We waved goodbye and he drove off down the road.

It was still early in the day so Charlie would not be home yet. I would tell him that I met a new friend, and that I was not ready to leave yet. He would have to understand. I strangely felt happier then I had in a long time. I walked into the front door and decided to start dinner.

The last thing I remember was walking through the threshold of the kitchen when I felt a hard smack to the back of my head, and everything went black.

I woke later to find Luke staring at me. That's strange, why did he look so scared. I saw him seem to fight with something inside himself until finally, with a determined expression, he made up his mind. His face suddenly disappeared from my view and I felt a warm slash of pain in my neck. I could not dwell on this as the strange blackness overwhelmed me again.

**(I won't go through the change. We all know how it goes.)**

I knew I was a vampire now, I could feel the strength flowing through my veins. The pain had been unbearable, that was all I could remember. Part of me was upset that this had happened. **He** wanted me to live a human life, free of all this myth. The other part of me laughed in excitement that I might be able to see him again. I opened my new eyes and looked around. There were trees above me; I could feel the dirt beneath me.

That's so strange, the last thing I remember was looking at Luke, and he looked so scared, and before that, being in the kitchen of my house. I wondered why, now. But my wondering was cut short when I saw Luke flash into my field of vision.

"Oh, thank God! You're awake." He looked like he wanted to cry. I felt the strange urge to reach out to him and put my hand on his cheek, I did just that. He put his hand over mine and closed his eyes, finally relaxing.

I sat up and looked around, "Where am I?" I wondered out loud.

Luke shifted closer to me, "You don't remember?"

"No, what happened?" I asked afraid of the answer.

"Well, I was on my way home. I only got about a mile away before I smelled your blood, it helped that you cut yourself earlier I knew what you smelled like. I got out of the truck and ran like I've never run before. When I got to your house there was a man there, robbing your house. I'm so sorry. I smelled him earlier; I thought he was your father or something along those lines. He caught you in the back of the head with a club and fractured your skull. You were going to bleed to death if I had not gotten there. The man tried to attack me, I had to kill him. When you woke up, you could not even see me, which meant you were about three minutes from death. I could not just let you die, so…I bit you. After that, I knew I had to get you out of there, I took you and put you in your truck and drove it as far as I could on the gas that it had, I carried it even farther. You were quiet the whole time; I would have thought you were dead if I had not heard your heart beating. We are about two miles past the Canada border, and you've been out for a little over two days. I'm so sorry." He finally finished, looking so sad, and guilty. He was upset that he had thrust this life upon me, that much I could tell.

I shifted closer to him and put my hand on his knee, "No don't feel bad about yourself. You saved me. I would have been dead if you had not come and saved me. Thank you Luke." I meant it.

He looked at me, 120 years of sadness in his eyes. "You remember that I told you I had a wife?"

"Yes."

He nodded and continued, "Her name was Margaret. We were going to be married for two years in the spring. She looked almost exactly like you. One night, the fireplace sparked and caught the rug on fire. We woke up almost too late. We got out just in time before the house collapsed, but Margaret died soon after from smoke inhalation." His eyes were tortured as he said this. "I couldn't save her. I couldn't help her. Soon after that, I set out to live in the woods; I couldn't face the world without Margaret. I was found in the woods by Ian. He's a vampire. I was attacked by a bear and was almost dead but he saved me. After what happened and the fact that you look so much like her, I couldn't just let you die. I let the love of my life slip through my fingers, I could not let it happen again." He finished and looked up at the sky as if saying a silent prayer. I waited in silence for him to finish.

When he was done he looked at me and smiled, and I could see about 100 years' worth of burden lifted from his shoulders.

"Come on, we need to get home, I want you meet them. You can stay with us. I already called ahead, and you have a room waiting for you there." He said pulling me to my feet, and extending his hand out to me. Home? He was taking me to his house? And who were they? The rest of his coven? Was this Ian he mentioned part of his coven? My brain was firing off questions faster than I could get answers when I suddenly stopped.

Charlie! He must think that I'm dead by now. Well I am dead but he must think I'm the bad kind of dead. "Charlie. My father, he doesn't know where I am." I looked at Luke, hoping that he had an answer.

He shook his head, "Not true. After I made sure you were comfortable here I went and carried your truck to a spot close by your house. I made it look like you got into a serious accident. I also took the body of the man from your house and put him into the driver's seat. After that, I set the truck on fire. The body was burned beyond recognition, nothing but ashes." He smiled. "Also, I walked into your house and found something with your handwriting on it and copied it on a new piece of paper saying that you were going to a friend's house, that you would be back later, and that you loved him." He finished looking almost apologetic.

I relaxed then. I knew I would miss Charlie and my old truck but I was glad that Charlie had some peace of mind that I did not run away after our argument.

Luke extended his hand out to me again and I took it this time. He smiled and we ran to the spot where he had hidden his truck and drove it to his home, and hopefully my new home.

**Reviews please. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Meet the Family

**Thanks for such good reviews. Bella is slightly OOC in these first two chapters, but that's only to set up the story. She goes back to normal after this.**

On our way to his house, Luke stopped to teach me how to hunt. **(Again, I'll leave out the details. We know what happens.)**

Luke's home was huge! It was a three story, eight bedroom mansion, with a six car garage attached to the side. I wondered how many vampires lived here. We were about an hour inside of Canada.

Luke got out of the truck and was at my side in a flash, he helped me out of it a led me to the front door. When we walked in there, there were two vampires in the foyer, waiting to meet us.

One of them was a man who looked to be close to forty, with short black hair, and a slender frame. The other was younger, maybe Luke's age, with brown hair that almost covered his eyes; he had a muscleman's build. I suspected that he could give Emmett a run for his money.

Both of the unknown vampires smiled warmly at me and the older one said, "Welcome to our house Bella. My name is Ian Alexander, and this," He motioned to the muscular vampire, "Is Beau. We'll talk more later. Right now I bet you would like a shower and to see your room." He was right. I haven't had a shower in three days, plus I had my dried blood all over me.

Luke led me up the stairs to the second floor; at the end of the corridor was a dark blue door. I watched Luke as he opened the door and gasped when I saw my new room.

It was huge! It looked bigger then Charlie's entire house. It had a king size bed at the far wall plus a huge book shelf on the other side of the room that took up the entire wall. I was lost in thought looking at the room, when Luke spoke, "Sorry, there's not much stuff here. If you want we can go shopping to get you more furniture later. Cloths too. I only managed to grab one outfit for you at your house." He handed me my cloths.

I nodded and asked, "Where's the bathroom?"

"The next door over." He pointed. "Just come down to the living room when you're done." And with that he disappeared down the hall.

I showered slowly, giving me time to think about all that had happened in the last three days. I would miss Charlie, but it was better that he did not see me like this. I admit, I felt better than I had in four months, meeting Luke had changed that. Maybe he could help me get over the pain in my heart.

I finished and got dressed. I would have gotten lost in their huge house if I hadn't of smelled the three that were congregated in the room. I found it fast. When I got there, the three of them were piled on the couches waiting for me. I moved to sit beside Luke. Beau started first.

"So Bella, tell us how you met Lucky here." He said mock punching Luke on the shoulder. Lucky? I giggled. Luke knew what I was laughing at.

"It's a nickname Beau gave me. Mostly cause that's my ability. I still haven't figured it out yet, but I can give people good luck." He shrugged.

"What about bad luck?" I asked.

He laughed, "I wish. Then Beau here would be nothing but a pile of ashes by now." He reached over and smacked Beau on the back of the head playfully. It turns out that Beau and Luke liked to fight, and that Beau was the playful one here. He and I would get along well.

He boys continued wrestling when suddenly Ian spoke up, "Alright boys. Remember this is about Bella." The guys stopped and sat back down, Luke taking his place beside me again. When they were settled, Ian spoke again, motioning to me, "Bella, Luke told us how you met already, and I don't mean to pry but my ability lets me feel pain in others. Would you like to share what happened before you met Luke?" he seemed to be the father figure here. He reminded me of Carlisle, and that hurt.

I knew this would happen. Well it would have to be revealed sooner or later, might as well get it over with. I sighed. "Well, it started about a year ago. I was the new girl in school and there was a family of vampires there already, they were the… the Cullens. I started a relationship with one of them. We were so close. His name was… Edward. After I was attacked and almost killed by a vampire outside of their coven, Edward left me. He told me that he did not want me after that, and he left. I loved him so much. I still love him. It still hurts to think about him." I hung my head, fighting the invisible tears that threatened to spill over.

Luke moved closer to me and started rubbing circles on my back, and he leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead. I felt comforted by this.

Beau spoke up, "That's almost the same thing that happened to me."

I looked at him confused. Was he dating a vampire at some point?

He saw my confusion, "No. Not the whole story. I meant the part where he broke up with you. See I was dating the love of my life back in 1978 and she left me for my friend so I tried to kill myself, that's when Ian found me. I was 22." He looked at Ian with admiration and respect.

Wow. What a dark past, I thought, and it was so easy for him to reveal it. He continued, "It's okay though, I got over it as soon as I got my new life, and I've never looked back." He finished, smiling.

I was happy for him. Even considering he had such a dark past, I truly was happy for him.

Ian spoke then, "I guess it's my turn to tell you what happened to me. It's only right for you to know about us if you're going to stay with us."

I waited patiently while he spoke, "I think it was around 1801 that I was changed. My mother died giving birth to me. We lived out in the country. I was out chopping wood with my father in the forest. My father was weak with old age so I lived with him to help him out. The tree we just cut down fell in the wrong direction and landed on both of us. My father was killed on impact while I lay there, suffering, for hours. Then an unknown vampire came along, smelling the blood, and bit me. After that, he ran away. I was 41. I still don't know who he was." He finished looking both sad and happy.

Wow what a bunch of misfits we were. I would fit in well with this family. I smiled.

"Well Bella, would you like to join the Alexander family?" Luke asked me.

I thought for a while. Would I really get along with them? Did I really want to burden them with my pain? Something told me that they would help me to get over it. I smiled.

"Yes I would." I said in all confidence.

Beau stood and pumped his fist in the air, "Wooo! I got a baby sister!" I laughed at his child-like behavior.

Yep. This would be fun.

**The next chapter will be 50 years from now.**

**I'll make you a deal. I get 11 reviews, you get the next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	3. Meetings and Fights

**In case you're wondering, I did not name Luke after anybody you might think of. I named him after my favorite character in a romance novel.**

"Lucky! We're going to be late for the concert!"

"I'm coming right now. Hold your birches." He shouted as he was coming down the stairs to the living room.

I had adopted that name after a while of being here. Luke didn't mind, he thought it was cute when I called him that. We all called him that except for Ian.

"Is Beau ready yet?" he asked.

"Yes! Couldn't you hear him screaming in the truck?"

"No, my music was on, duh. It's my way of drowning out your mindless chatter." He countered, smiling and trying to mess my hair, but I jumped out of the way.

"Alright, enough messing around. Seriously we're going to be late." I walked outside, dragging him by his shirt.

We were going to a concert for this new band. Then after that we were going to the Truck Pull. Beau's truck was entered in the competition.

I didn't listen to the music much as the band rattled out their lyrics. I was too focused on how I was so lucky to have these two dorks I call brothers in my life.

It's been fifty years since I joined the Alexander coven and I couldn't be any happier.

Luke and I were not in a relationship. A while ago we thought we were good together, we even kissed once, but it did nothing for us, so we just forgot about it, and moved on with our lives. Things weren't even awkward between us. We just accepted the fact that we were meant to be brother and sister.

Both he and Beau were always protective of me. We moved a few times, and whenever we came across another coven they were never more than two feet away from me. Some might call them overprotective, but not me. I'm just happy that some people in this world care about me. I was right, they had helped me to get over my pain, but I was not completely healed yet. I don't think I ever would be, completely.

I finally learned Beau's power. He's a tracker. That kind of startled me at first but I got over it fast. He really helped me out when I learned what my power was.

My first power was to produce a shield to protect people against vampire attacks, and I could use it to 'use' another vampire's power. A few years ago I visited Charlie in secret, and borrowed Lucky's ability to help him meet a new waitress at the diner. He married her a year later.

The kicker is my second ability. I can teleport to any location in the world I choose. I first discovered this power when Beau snuck up on me in my room reading Macbeth. In a split second I found myself somewhere in England. Halfway on my way back, I ran into Beau and the guys. They were trying to track me down. After that I worked hard to try and control this power because Beau liked to scare me just so he would have to find me again. It was like a very big game of hide and seek for him. Now I can control it, it's a lot harder to make me teleport but that does not mean it can't be done. I even pop in out of nowhere and scare him sometimes.

We were now in Forks again of all places, and I had school on Monday. Luke and Beau are too old for school but Luke is my homeroom teacher, and Beau was my science teacher. They started getting bored without me all day so they got their teaching license a while back. Beau's room was right next door.

I was in homeroom, waiting for the day to start already, talking to Luke while waiting for the rest of the class to file in. To everyone else, Luke and Beau were my older step-brothers, considering the fact they don't look like me.

Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence, and looked toward the door. At that moment I smelled it.

There were other vampires in the school.

I had heard that there new students in the school, that must be them. I was scared. What if it was **them**? I was not ready to face them. I did not want to.

Luke looked at me and saw my fear, and said, "Now calm down. We don't know who they are yet. Get behind me, just in case." I did as he asked. Just then, Jasper walked through the door.

They had separate homerooms and Jasper was in mine. He knew there were other vampires in this school. Just as we smelled him, he smelled us. I could see the fine hairs on the back of his neck standing up as he eyed Luke up. He could not see me yet, but he heard my small gasp when I saw him. Then his eyes were on me.

"B-Bella?" he said, his voice full of shock.

That was it. If Edward or Alice were anywhere nearby, they would pick up on his thoughts and be here in a flash. I had to get out of here.

School still had ten minutes before it started. I darted out from behind Luke's back and made a beeline out the door a little faster than human speed. I'm sure the humans that were in the room noticed but I was too scared to care.

"Bella, wait!" I heard Luke shout after me. I couldn't.

I made my way to the front door without anyone stopping me.

Once I was out of the building, I ran. I did not know where to, but I know I had to get away.

I got no more than two miles from the school when Luke and Beau caught up with me. I looked at them and said, "I'm…I'm sorry. I couldn't be there with all those humans. I could have slipped."

They knew why I ran. It **was** them. Luke stepped forward and engulfed me in a hug, both meant to be supportive and protective. "It's okay, we'll get through this." Was all he said. Beau came and hugged me also, with Luke still attached to me.

Just then, the Cullens caught up with us.

Beau and Luke stood in front of me, shoulder to shoulder, prepared to defend me.

All five of them standing in a line about ten feet away from us. They all looked at me with shock on their faces. I did not dare to look at the face on the end for fear that I would break down and teleport away from here.

"Bella! I can't believe you're here! What happened? Why did you run?" Alice asked ignoring my brothers, walking toward me. She really had the nerve to ask?

Luke got in her way in a flash, "Stay away from her!" He spat, teeth bared.

Alice ignored him, and looked around him at me, "Bella, don't you know who we are?"

I was shocked, and exploded, "Of course I know who you are! How could I forget! You all left me here to ROT! Why are you here?" I still did not look at the face on the end. I was afraid of what I might see. I did not have to wonder long.

Edward stepped forward. I looked at him then, and immediately had to look away.

There was pain there. Incredible pain. Looked like guilt too. I immediately felt bad about what I had said. "Bella, please…" He began, but I cut him off.

"No! Edward, I don't want to hear any of this! We were here first, so I want you all to leave!" I shouted and I meant it.

Beau stepped forward, "Wait. You mean to tell me this is Edward." He asked me, his eyes still trained on Edward.

"Yes" I answered, thinking Beau was going to yell at him or something. I could not have been more wrong.

Beau looked at Luke, and Luke lunged forward, catching Edward off guard, and body slammed him about fifty feet away into a tree, knocking it down. Why hadn't he dodged? He could read their minds, so why? I was not blocking his powers, I saw no need. Emmett and Jasper were in front of their fallen brother in a flash, crouched and snarling furiously. My brothers had adopted the same exact poses. It was going to turn into a fight if I did not stop it now. No matter how mad I was at them, I did not want them to get hurt.

I stepped between them and looked at my brothers. I put my hands on either side of Luke's face forcing him to look at me.

"Lucky, stop. I don't want you to fight now. We need to go home. Please?" Was all I could say.

After a moment he sighed, and straightened up, Beau following his example. Emmett and Jasper stayed crouched. I went into Luke's waiting arms and he planted a kiss on my forehead. I could feel Edward's eyes boring into my back as he picked himself up off the ground, but I ignored it. Luke shifted me so I was at his side but still in his arm, my hand on his large chest. Beau came to stand on my other side.

Luke looked at Edward with ice in his eyes, "If any of you ever come near her again, you'll have me to deal with." He threatened; even I was almost scared of him in that moment.

"And me. And I don't think even you can take me." Beau said looking straight at Emmett, and I knew that would set him off.

"Is that a challenge?" Emmett started. I wasn't in the mood.

"Guys." Was all I had to say.

I was still in Luke's protective hug but they both knew what was going to happen right away. Beau put his hand on my shoulder and I closed my eyes, thinking hard. I teleported us to our house leaving the Cullens behind. I figured that out a few years ago, as long as someone is touching me, they come with me when I teleport.

They both let go of me when we got there, and I ran upstairs to my room, and collapsed on my bed looking up at the ceiling. Ian wasn't home yet from his work as a computer software programmer.

I wasn't there long before Luke came in and sat across from me on the bed.

After a few minutes I sat up and crawled over to him. I sat in his lap and he wrapped his arms around me. He rocked me back and forth, saying nothing.

There wasn't a need to say anything, there never was between me and him. We simply understood what each other needed and was there for them. It was times like these, when I was particularly depressed over the Cullens, that I wished that we were an item. That would make these feelings I have for him have more sense. But in the end, I was happy we weren't.

We sat there for about an hour in total silence, when suddenly, Luke cursed. It startled me; I wasn't paying attention to anything but his light breathing, until I smelled what made him curse.

They were here. All of them. But Luke told them to stay away.

Luke let go of me and stood up walking to the door. "Now, you stay here. We don't know what they want." He told me.

"No, I'm coming with you; we both know what they want. They want to talk to all of us. Please, I want to be next to you." I said, reaching out to grab his arm.

He nodded and said, "But I want you next to me the whole time. If it turns into a fight, you run, got it?"

I didn't want to, but I nodded. If it came to that, I would find a way to take all three of them with me when I teleported.

Luke opened the door and hand in hand we walked down to the living room. The Cullens were all scattered about on the couches.

Luke led me to the couch that was the farthest away from Edward and Alice. He sat down next to Beau first, and then pulled me onto his lap, protectively wrapping his arms around me again. I rested my head against his shoulder not even bothering to look in their direction.

Ian got up off the couch and walked to the middle of the room, facing the Cullens, "Welcome, Cullens, was it? First we'll start with our names. My oldest is Luke," he pointed to Luke, and he hissed. Ian ignored him and continued, "My second oldest is Beau," Beau snorted. Ian ignored that too, "And I believe you know Bella. And my name is Ian Alexander. And what are your names?"

Carlisle stood and faced us four and said, "Thank you for your welcome. My name is Carlisle, this is my wife Esme. My son Emmett, and his wife Rosalie. My son Jasper, and his wife Alice. And this is Edward." Carlisle finished going down the line in which the Cullens presented themselves. Each of the Cullens nodded their head except for Edward; he still had that guilty look on his face from this morning.

As soon as Carlisle said Edwards's name, Luke suddenly snarled, scaring me this time.

"Lucky!" I scolded, "Stop! You almost made me teleport again."

He looked at me, fire in his eyes this time, "I'm sorry Bella, but they should not be here. Don't you remember what they did to you?" He asked me in a tight voice.

"Of course I remember, but right now I need you here with me, not picking fights with them." I said, trying to keep the peace.

He seemed to calm down a little when I said this. I relaxed as well, and then I noticed that everyone was staring at us. I stood up and said, "I'm sorry everyone, but I can't do this right now. I'm leaving."

"Then we're coming with you." Beau and Luke stood up with me.

I looked at them, "Fine." Then to Ian, "You can finish up here right?"

"Of course. Where will you go?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know yet. Probably to the resort. But not before we go hunting. We'll probably go tomorrow. Just call the school and tell them there was a death in the family." And started making my way to the front door.

"Bella, wait. Can't we talk about this? It was all a misunderstanding." Alice jumped up, heading towards me but Luke put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. She and Jasper snarled. Luke and Beau joined in.

That's it. I've had it. I whirled, "ENOUGH!" Everyone stopped, looking every shocked that I had such a set of lungs on me. I was truly pissed off at this point. "Lucky, you and Beau go outside and wait for me!"

Luke looked embarrassed, "But-"

"No buts! Go!" I screamed at this point.

Luke had a defeated look as he and Beau walked out the door. I looked at Alice then.

"Alice, there is nothing to talk about. Edward did all the talking fifty years ago." I heard Edward groan softly, but I continued, "He made it very clear what was to happen. He promised that I would never see any of you ever again. It does not matter that I am a vampire now. The rules still apply!" Alice backed up toward Jasper with each sentence I threw at her, looking almost scared. Again, I did not look at Edward.

I turned and walked to the door. I heard Esme start to sob but I kept walking. Once I was out of the door, Luke walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose it like that. I know that you guys were just trying to protect me." I apologized.

In the surrounding darkness, I felt him shrug around me, "It's alright sweetie. I know what you're going through. I'm sorry too." He said, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

Beau came up behind us. Luke let go of me long enough for Beau to give me a hug and a kiss on the top of my head. I could still hear Esme sobbing in the house, and Carlisle trying to comfort her. I could also hear Ian explain that we would allow them to stay here only if they hunted animals and if they don't antagonize me if I don't want them to.

When Beau let go, he kept his hand on my shoulder and Luke came around and put his hand on my other shoulder and I closed my eyes.

Suddenly we were in the middle of the forest somewhere in Montana. We broke off from each other to hunt.

After three elk I came face to face with a large grizzly bear. It saw me and stood on its hind legs and let out a loud roar. It easily had about 2000 pounds and at least 7 feet on it. This would be easy.

I leapt onto the back of the bear. The bear did not even realize I was there until too late. Opening my mouth as wide as it would go; I leaned down and slashed at its jugular vein. The bear started fighting furiously, trying to get me off but I would not budge. I was not in the mood for this fight to drag any longer. My hands reached around its neck as if to give it a hug, but I quickly pulled my arms back and snapped its neck. The dead bear went limp, and thudded loudly to the ground.

Once I was done sating myself with the bear, I felt strangely tired. I found my brothers and without a word, we teleported back to the house.

The Cullens were gone. When I walked inside I started to head for one of the four bathrooms in the house, but Ian stopped me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Bella, I have to tell you something." He said, sounding strangely guilty.

"In a minute Ian, I have to take a shower." I said.

Ian stood aside and I walked upstairs.

When I was done I walked down to Ian's office on the second floor. Luke and Beau were arguing with Ian about something, but I came in too late to make any sense about what they were saying. I looked at them and Luke turned around when he heard me enter, "This has nothing to do with me. Bella." He said.

Beau chimed in, "Yeah it's all Ian's fault." He said, looking like he wanted to attack him, which was strangely not Beau.

"What is it?" I asked, hoping the answer would not be as bad as I thought it would be.

"Bella, I wanted to apologize for your brother's rudeness, so I kind of…invited them to the resort with us." He finished. I looked at him.

"Ian. How can you even think I could do that? I can barely be in the same room with them! I thought I made that obvious! Weren't you paying attention?" I was practically screaming at the end.

Ian looked taken aback, but said, "I think it would be good for you to get away for a while, but I also think that you should face this problem of yours with them. I felt the pain that was coming from Edward. He seemed truly sorry."

"Yeah, right. He's probably just sorry that he's stuck with me for eternity now. He probably just sad that I hadn't died years ago." I countered.

"You don't know that. No one knows but him. I'm sorry. I did not think. But you are going to the island, and you are going to remain there with the Cullens. You weren't here, after you and your brothers left. When you were gone, I asked them to stay and talk. I don't think you quite understood everything that happened. I know your history with them, but I know what they said after you left. I know that they still love you-"

"Right!" I started yelling, "That's why they left, and that's why they stabbed me in the back."

Now I realized why Beau looked the way he did. I almost wanted to attack him myself.

"Bella, I'm not giving you a choice in the matter. If we are going to the resort, then the Cullens are coming with us. We'll teleport there, like we always do, but they are taking a plane, they will be there the day after we arrive." Ian said, final.

Luke chimed in, "Come on Ian. Why would you do that?"

"Because, there aren't that many vampires in the world and their family is bigger than ours. I think its best we don't get on their bad side. Besides, I think it would be good for Bella to finally face this." He said without looking at him.

I sighed, defeated. "Fine" I could probably just ignore them the whole time anyway.

I stomped upstairs to my room and began packing for what could possibly be my breaking point.


	4. The Resort

**Now, the Beach!**

The resort was a private island two miles off the coast of Hawaii that Ian's old friend, a vampire, owned. It was a business for itself, but whenever Ian called; his friend would clear out the island and let us have it to ourselves however long we wanted. Ian would always pay graciously, so his friend would not lose any business.

I had teleported us and our luggage there at about eight o' clock this morning and since then we were doing nothing but surfing, swimming and having fun. While Luke and Beau were surfing I was diving in the nearby coral reef. The fish were always scared of us but that did not stop me from enjoying the view. At least I did not have to worry about shark attacks.

The coral reefs were always my favorite part of being here. Nicknamed "The Rainforests of the Sea" there were so many different colors all in one place that you would never see anywhere else. The water around this island is always crystal clear, even though we have perfect eye sight.

I found a plate-like coral structure and seated myself on it, looking around. I finally found what I was looking for. There was a large oyster bed just next to my feet, I reached down and grabbed one out of the mucky sea floor. I began to pry open oyster after oyster looking for pearls.

Pearls are formed inside the shell of oysters. The oysters secrete acalcium carbonate and conchiolin. Pearls are created accidentally in the wild. A parasite unknown to humans somehow enters through the oyster, and the oyster then starts to excrete these chemicals as a defense mechanism, thus forming a pearl. It takes years to form a pearl, making natural ones found in the wild very rare.

With my enhanced sight, I could pick out which oysters where infected and which aren't, reducing time and having to kill too many oysters to find my goal. After two hours of searching I found over thirty pearls. Great, I could make a bracelet. Luke knew what I was doing so he might have helped me out with his gift. I put all the pearls I collected in a waterproof bag I carried and was getting ready to head to the surface, when I noticed Luke in my peripheral vision.

He had dived in the water and was waving his arms around signaling me to come with him.

When my head broke the surface he swam over to me and said in a dark voice, "They're here."

"Now? But they weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow."

"Guess they decided to crash our party early." He said, still looking pissed.

We swam back to shore to Beau and Ian on the beach. Beau was at our side immediately.

"Where are they?" I asked, confused.

Ian pointed out to the sea horizon, "They appear to have brought a boat."

I looked toward where he was pointing. There was a big luxury speed boat heading toward the beach fast. Luke pulled me against his side while Beau stood on the other while we waited for them to land.

Once they got close enough, Emmett jumped into the water and began to drag the boat on to the beach. Once there, Carlisle and Jasper began unloading their luggage.

"Bella, show them where to put their things, please." Ian said. Of course he would ask me to do it.

"I'll go with you," Luke added.

I nodded, conceding. We walked over to the boat, and began directing them.

"The path on the left leads to your house. Just go up the stairs, you can't miss it." I said, not looking at any of them. Beau decided to be nice and lead the way to our guest's house.

Emmett was the last to leave and he was closest to me. He turned around and grabbed me from Luke and engulfed me in a bear-hug. It would have broken my back if I wasn't as strong as I was, "Let me go!" I managed to get out before he laughed and set me down.

Luke had crouched, prepared to spring, teeth bared, snarls ripping from his throat.

Emmett looked at him, laughing, "Do you really want to do this now?" He asked.

"Yes." Was all he said before he sprung.

Emmett grabbed him right out of the air, and slammed him down to the sand, to which Luke answered by knocking his legs out from beneath him, and reaching around for a choke-hold around his neck. Emmett just laughed as he moved to throw a heavy punch at Luke's side, which he blocked and slammed Emmett's head into the sand.

None of the others had come to help so that meant that Emmett was not serious about this fight, but Luke was. "Lucky, stop, don't fight. Let's go." I said, laughing, myself. I knew that Emmett wouldn't hurt him but I was afraid that Luke would take this too far.

Luke pulled one last move, which Emmett never saw coming. He was on the ground, eyes wide. Luke got up, wrapped his arm around my waist and walked back to our father, who was looking down the beach towards where we were and talking with Carlisle and Esme.

"Woah! How'd you do that?" Emmett shouted, getting up from the ground.

"Just lucky I guess." Luke said.

"That reminds me. Bella, why do you keep calling him Lucky? I thought that his name was Luke." He asked to my retreating form.

I knew Lucky wouldn't tell him, and I guess it couldn't do too much harm for me to tell him. "Because, that's his gift. He can give good luck to others." I said over my shoulder.

"Wow! That's cool! Hey Lucky, do you think you can use some of that gift on Rose? She's been ignoring me for a while now if you know what I mean." I figured that Emmett would already adopt the nickname, but that wasn't what bothered Luke. He just didn't like that he used such a personal name for him.

Luke snorted at him while we were still walking away.

Right before we got to Ian, Edward was suddenly there to take Esme's bags up to the house.

He looked at me with an emotion I couldn't describe, was it amazement? His eyes gazed over my body, starting with my face, over my torso which was clad with the top of a dark blue bikini, over my bikini bottoms, back to my face. For some reason, I was suddenly embarrassed for my perfect form. Edward had never seen me in a suit before when I was human. Luke started growling, looking at Edward with a face full of hate. I tapped his stomach.

"Lucky…" I murmured. He stopped growling, but didn't lift his glare. Edward just looked at me sadly.

"He has the right. I'm sorry." Edward started. It was the first time I had heard his voice in fifty years. It was still perfect, velvety, and musical. It broke my heart. I closed my eyes, and Luke pulled me closer against his chest, kissing the top of my head. Edward's eyes widened. I didn't need to 'borrow' Edward's gift to know what he was thinking. I'm sure he thought that Lucky and I were a couple.

Edward recovered himself to say, "Uh… It's nice to see you again Bella." He said with utmost sincerity. Then to Luke, "I think we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Edward." He said extending his hand. Luke didn't take it but introduced himself nonetheless.

"Luke." He said then started to pull me toward the water to go swimming.

I had decided to be an adult here, there was no reason I should ignore our guests while we're here. "It's nice to see you again too Edward." I said over my back while I got into the water.

Luke splashed me with the cold water to get my attention and I splashed him back. He then grabbed me around the waist and launched me ten feet into the air about thirty feet away.

We continued like that until the sun had gone down and it was time for the main event.

We got out of the water and went to the house to dry off. Ian had told us that they came early because Alice was bugging them about going.

"Is she psychic or something? She knew that Lucky was going to fight with the big one and told us that it was nothing to worry about. She also said that Ian would invite them to the fire and that they would be there. She didn't know what it was about though." Beau asked.

"Yeah, she is." Was all I said.

All three of us got dressed and headed down to a secluded spot on the beach, Ian with his large bag on his shoulder.

The Cullens were already there, seated around the logs that made up almost a perfect circle.

Me and Luke were the last ones into the circle, his hand never letting mine go. I could feel Edward's eyes on me as we entered. Ian started gathering wood from the side to start the fire. Beau had jumped in to help and together they got it done in half the time.

Once all of the wood was gathered in the middle, Ian lit his lighter and started the blaze. The fire quickly licked up the dried wood. I sat down between Luke and Beau on a log, the closest to the water, as far away from Edward as possible, same as the night before.

"So, what's the fire for? We gonna roast marshmallows?" I heard Emmett ask jokingly.

Ian chuckled, "No. Just watch."

Ian went to his bag he had set aside and pulled everything out. There were about fifty pounds of fireworks in there. The kind of rockets that go on for a long time. We had calculated for the Cullens being here so we adjusted how many fireworks we'd need. He began to set them out in an organized manner and when he was done he pulled out a small rocket.

Being a computer programmer he had an advanced degree in calculus. He calculated the exact spot where he needed to set the rocket. Ian put it down and began setting the fuse. The rocket was about five feet away from the pile of fireworks and the fireworks were about ten feet away from the fire. Once the fuse was set he led the fuse toward the fire and threw the end of it into the fire, igniting it immediately.

The lit fuse traveled down to where the rocket was and lit it. With a loud boom, the rocket launched into the air and did three loops before settling onto the firework pile.

Then the fun began.

"Whoa!" Emmett yelled jumping up from his seat. I guess he's never seen fireworks with his vampire eyes. I smiled, and resumed watching the show.

The group of rockets were scattered into different directions. Once they were all lit they began to explode into the air.

Just like back at the coral reef, there were colors everywhere. But unlike them, these were manmade. Half of them going into the air immediately and exploding into a dazzling array of color.

You never truly understand color until you see fireworks with vampire eyes. Just like seeing a rainbow with all the different colors, it's like watching a painting being done with the night sky as the canvas.

And the sound! Sure, you hear the whistles and the ear deafening booms and crackles. But what humans don't hear are the sound waves echoing off the nearby rocks, the water, even the sand. The sound waves can create a chorus of noises that sound like music. Since Ian had set them up just so, they would go off at just the right time to create real music. It sounded like a low symphony like no one has ever heard before. It was truly almost magical to watch and hear.

After about twenty minutes they were finally over. My family and I turned to the Cullens to see their reaction.

"That was…was…wow." Emmett didn't have words.

"Beautiful." I heard Edward say. I turned to see him staring intently at me. There was no emotion on his face but I could tell that his comment was directed at me. I felt Luke tense around me but I ignored him.

"Yeah. We do this every year. The fire was just for show." Ian said.

Ian and the Cullens chatted for another hour. Even Beau talked with Emmett, they would get along well, I was sure. Luke and I never joined in on the conversations that were going on around us. We just turned around to face the water and ignored the world around us. Every once and a while Luke would lean over and kiss me on the top of my head or on my forehead when I looked at him. I could still feel Edward's eyes on me the whole hour we sat there. I still know what he was thinking, and he couldn't be more wrong. Luke and I just got along so well, even everyone else back home thought we were dating. But I felt no need to correct him. Even Ian and Beau were wondering why Luke and I never became an item. I guess it just wasn't meant to be with us. We loved each other like brother and sister and that was that.

With no one really tending to the fire it burned down to embers quickly, and the time came to say 'good night'. We broke off to go to our houses. Luke and I were again the last ones to leave after he doused the fire with a bucket of water. About half way to the house I heard someone come up behind us. Edward.

We turned to look at him, clad in a light spring jacket and black swim trunks. He still looked at me with sadness in his eyes. Then, finally, he spoke.

"Uh…Bella, do you think I can talk to you for a moment?" he asked looking embarrassed.

I felt Luke growl next to me in the darkness, but I silenced him with a tap of my finger to his chest. "Lucky…" I said. I looked at Edward. How much I would love to have a moment alone with him, to find out why he left, but I wasn't in the mood tonight.

"Um, maybe tomorrow Edward, okay? We're all going to the other side of the island. There's a huge coral reef just off the shore, with an underwater cave. A real must see." We were actually standing almost on top of the cave now. It traveled into the land to stop underneath us. The only entrance was on the other side though.

"Okay…" was all he said, still looking very embarrassed.

Luke started pulling me toward the house and I called over my shoulder, "Good night Edward."

I could still see him standing there when we entered the house. I know he could see me watching him and I looked away quickly and entered the house.

I spent the rest of the night making my bracelet out of the pearls I had gathered earlier today. I used a thin stretchable cord to make the bracelet. I had to force a needle into the pearls to make a hole to put the cord through. Once it was done I put it on. It fit perfectly. And it could stretch, displacing the pearls, but still fit anyone who would wear it.

By the time I had finished, the sun was beginning to rise over the sea.

**I wanted to be a marine biologist when I got older but never got the math scores, so this chapter was perfect for me.**

**I think I did a good job with the water and the fireworks.**

**Maybe you could give me some suggestions about what they will talk about or do in the cave, I'm at a loss.**

**Reviews and suggestions please, they make me write faster! :)**


	5. The Underwater Cave

The other side of the island is even more beautiful than the side we were on. The island wasn't really big. It took only twenty minutes to reach the other side. The coral reefs here were huge! The one on our side took up about the size of a football field, but the ones here were about the size of six football fields.

Last night, Luke had mentioned his distaste about me talking to Edward tomorrow. I had planned to take him to the underwater cave to we could talk privately. Underwater, sounds are muffled so you can't hear much, but in a cave like ours, you have no hope of hearing anything. I'm pretty sure the cave was about a mile underground.

We had all traveled here on the Cullen's speed boat. My eyes zoned in on Edward as we approached the boat. He was wearing just his black swim trunks, and it emphasized the planes of his bare chest. I knew Jasper could sense my feelings and I had to look away quickly, but not before I caught Alice smirking at me.

Once Ian had told them where to go and we landed on the shore, I dove off straight into the water. The animals inhabiting the reefs scattered quickly and I had the place to myself.

The reefs were always my favorite place to be when we were here. No sound or smell to distract you always reminded me of my human life. The sea glittered with immobile life. The fleshy tentacles of a giant anemone sway in perpetual currents that bend the purple sea fans like storm-blown trees.

The sea floor started to slope gently downward until it dropped off altogether into unknown depths. Even my eyes could not find color in the void. It was just out of sight that the entrance to the cave would be. That's where I would take Edward. I just hope he didn't tell his family, particularly Alice, so we could have privacy.

After a few minutes more of watching the plant-life, I surfaced to see everyone had gathered on the beach. The Cullens were slowly scattering to enjoy the view, while my family was taking off their shirts to enjoy a swim. The Cullens followed.

While everyone was enjoying their swim, I sat on the beach with Luke for a while before joining in. Luke spoke, "Bella, I really think it's a bad idea to be alone with him in that cave."

I looked down at my new bracelet then at him, "What, do you want to come with us?" I asked, acidly. I was starting to get tired of his attitude with the Cullens. Even Beau was starting to like them, why couldn't Luke.

"Well no. I agree with Ian saying you should get past this and all. But why go somewhere alone with him. Can't you take him somewhere where you can call me for help if you need it?" he said.

I sighed, "Edward isn't going to attack me, if that's what you're thinking. He just wants to talk."

Luke glowered, "I don't trust him. Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

I have seen the way he looks at me. How could I not. As much as I still love him, there was no getting around the fact that he left me. He didn't want me anymore. I would have to accept that fact.

I got up and headed for the water, but not before grabbing my waterproof bag with a small flashlight in it, Luke following close behind. Once underwater, I stared at the coral again, truly mesmerized by their colorful beauty.

Edward knew I wouldn't forget about our talk but I guess he decided he was done waiting.

He had caught me on the surface of the water as I was coming up. I wasn't looking where I was going and I surfaced to within two feet of him, the closest I've been to him in fifty years.

"Bella, do you think you could show me that cave now?" He asked his voice slightly lower than before.

"Uh, sure Edward. Follow me." I said, but not before Luke added his departing words.

"You better watch yourself." Luke said to Edward, his voice dripping with venom, before swimming off to join in a game of water volleyball everyone was playing. Beau was setting up the net that belonged to the resort. As far as I knew, no one but Luke knew where we were going. I would show the others the cave when we were done talking.

I dove under the water with Edward following. I swam back to where the sea floor dropped off suddenly. I motioned for Edward to follow and began to dive. The water quickly turned to deep blue, then black, and then nothing. Our eyes could pick out no colors in this void so I would always have to find the cave by feeling out the cliff wall. Then I remembered Edward. I knew he was still behind me somewhere but just like me, he was swimming blind.

I reached out behind me until I finally felt his arm, and then grabbed his hand, holding it tight in mine until we could get into the channel that leads to the cave. I know I could have easily teleported us into the cave but swimming was so much more fun. I would probably teleport us out though.

I found the small rock that jutted out just before the mouth of the cave would open. I felt a little lower until I felt the opening and slipped inside. I tugged on Edward's hand and then put it on the cave wall to get him to follow by feeling the sides of the wall.

The channel was just big enough for a person to get by in. Beau and Emmett would have a lot of trouble in here. It led farther into the island, and then sloped down a bit before moving up into the cave. My head broke the surface of the water. The cave was no bigger than a minivan. Plenty of room yet not enough room at the same time. There was a very small opening leading out the back of the cave to let air through. It winded through the earth until breaking the surface somewhere up above, but it did not let any light through.

As soon as I was out of the water, Edwards head came out of the water.

"Wow… how did you find this place?" Edward asked his voice full of awe.

I shrugged in the darkness, feeling through my bag for the flashlight. "I just found it accidentally. I had a water proof flashlight with me that time, but I forgot it back home."

I finally found the flashlight at the bottom of my bag and flipped it on, revealing the small cave so Edward could climb out.

Edward got out of the water and onto the ground that made up the bottom of the cave. We sat cross-legged on the floor of the cavern, staring at each other.

"This cave was formed naturally, I don't know when though." I said, shrugging again.

"This is amazing. I've never traveled this deep underwater before, I didn't realize that we can't see. I can't hear anything on the surface, except for thoughts of course." He clarified.

"Yeah. I come here for peace and quiet most of the time" I said. I was suddenly hyper-aware of his presence.

Edward was still looking around when I cleared my throat, "Okay Edward, you wanted to talk, so talk. You ask a question and I'll ask a question." I said adopting my resentful expression from the other day.

Edward snapped into attention, and looked embarrassed. "Well… I guess what I want to know first is how this happened to you."

"This?"

He gestured to me, meaning he wanted to know how I became a vampire.

I sighed, "It happened about four months after you and your family left. I went for a walk into the woods and met Lucky. We became friends right away. He took me home but when he left I was attacked by man trying to rob our house. Lucky rescued me but he had to bite me because the man had hit me so hard that I was close to death. After that I joined his coven." I told him, my voice still had a bit of ice in it.

"Okay." He said. He looked extremely sad again. I resisted the urge to reach over to him and hug him. He looked broken, and it broke my heart.

"My turn." I decided on something easy. "What have you been doing for the last fifty years?" I was really hoping to hear that he hadn't moved on, that he didn't have any other girlfriends after me.

He sighed and said, "Well, as soon as I saw the news that you were dead. I disappeared from my family for a while." After I finally came back I'm surprised Jasper didn't leave. I was driving him crazy." He finished. Okay, I could live with that. It meant he still cared to some extent.

It was Edwards turn, he asked, "Do you have any powers?"

I knew this would come up, "I can produce a shield against certain powers, that's why you could never read my mind, and I use that shield to gain any vampires powers that I choose. I could read your mind right now if I wanted to. I sometimes use Luke's power when I need it but not so much. What will happen, will happen. Luck would never change that." I'm sure Emmett told everyone about Lucky's power by now.

He looked at me in amazement again. And again I felt nervous under his eyes.

My turn. "Did you believe I was dead until you saw me the other day?"

He waited a moment before answering, "Yes, it…it broke my heart when I saw the news. There was a report that a truck was found on the side of the road, burned, right after we left. I left after that." Suddenly, he had a determined look on his face as he looked at me, "Bella, you must know that I still love you."

The words ripped right through me. I stared at him until he squirmed under my gaze.

"What?" I breathed.

"I love you. More than you know. More than I can imagine! More than I imagined. I thought by leaving you, I wasloving you! I thought I was keeping you safe! I didn't know, I couldn't know! I thought it was best that I leave you to live out your life the way you were supposed to without my interfering." His voice broke in desperation on the last few words.

"Edward, you left. How can I believe you when you left me in the woods that day, when you said all those horrible things to me? You ripped me apart and stepped on the pieces!" I was sobbing at this point. I hung my head in defeat.

I was so preoccupied in my thoughts that I didn't hear him move, until I felt his hands on either side of my face, lifting my head to meet his eyes.

"I lied Bella; I only left because I thought you were better than me, that you deserved better, and I regretted my decision every day. I now see that that was a big mistake. I can't be without you. Just ask my family, I could not function properly without you. I thought that they were going to kill me when I wasn't paying attention. Please Bella; I have to know how you feel about me. Even if you only care about me in the smallest way. If you want to be with Luke, I won't stand in your way. I will respect your decision. Just…please…" Edward was almost sobbing by the end of his speech. He hung his head so that it was touching my forehead. We didn't look at each other. His words hung heavy on me. I wanted so much to believe him, but how could I? I still loved him with all my heart. But how could I when he said those things to me that day in the woods.

I shook my head and he lifted his head from mine to look in my eyes, but still holding my face.

"Edward…I… I can't believe you." He looked broken again, so I continued, "Trust me, I want so much to believe that you still love me. But you left when I needed you the most. I wanted you to change me so we could be together forever. As you can plainly see, that happened anyway just without you in the equation. Right now my brain is telling me you only want me back because now I'm smart, strong, and beautiful. I don't want that kind of love." We were both sobbing at this point.

"That's not it!" He said, "I loved you before you were all that. Don't you remember what I said to you in the hospital? I said that I'll be around as long as it was best for you. I had to leave. Please trust me when I say I didn't want to."

"But you also said you would stay as long as I wanted you! You can't get around the fact that you left! You left me when you promised to be there forever!" I yelled.

After a moment, Edward let go of my face and moved to the far corner of the cave, as far away from me as he could. "Alright. If that's how you feel…I…I'll leave, and I won't bother you again. I'm sorry."

He moved to slide into the water, all he got was his foot in before I spoke, "Edward wait!" He stopped and looked at me, his eyes dead.

"Edward, I want to believe you, but I need to know that you won't just up and leave me again." I cried.

Edward seemed to sit there at the edge of the pool for hours until he finally pulled his foot out of the water and moved over to me again. He again placed his hands on either side of my face and looked at me, no smile, but the most love I've seen in his eyes in fifty years.

"Alright, how about this." He said, "You use your gift to read my mind, to see that I really do love you."

"Edward, you just said that you lied to me. How can I believe that what I would see wouldn't be a lie as well?"

"Please Bella. You have to trust me." He begged.

I thought for a moment. The mind can create images suitable to what the person wants. Thinking allows beings to remodel the world and to view it according to their objectives, ends and desires. The person can think about whatever he wants. So there was no telling that Edward would not just create the images that I wanted to see.

I…I can't Edward. At least not right now. I need to think." I said.

The hurt look Edward gave me broke my heart. He took his hands off of my face and I wanted so much to grab his hands and put them back to where they were.

"Okay. But will you please promise me that before this vacation is over, you'll read my mind at some point?" he asked, his voice very hopeful.

I would. But not before I was sure he would not lie to me in his head.

"I will Edward, but for right now, let's go back to the surface and enjoy the rest of the day. Okay?" I said

He seemed to be appeased with this answer and said, "Okay." After that he leaned over and kissed me on my forehead. He leaned back and I could see the relief in his eyes that I did not back away.

"Luke's not going to be happy with me is he?" He said with a bit of humor.

Something told me he **still** believed that Lucky and I were together.

I shook my head, "You let me deal with him. He can't tell me who I can and can't love." I said.

Realization hit his eyes. "You mean that you and him aren't…" He didn't finish.

I smiled, "No. He's just a brother to me. We love each other, but not in the way you're thinking."

His eyes lit up with this information. He now knew that there was a possibility that he and I could end up back together. I decided to burst that bubble right now.

"But that does not mean that he won't be mad at you. In fact, something tells me he'll be pretty pissed."

"Well, that's alright. I'll take whatever he can dish out as long as I can be near you again. It took all of my strength to not do what Emmett did and grab you out of his arms for a hug." He smiled for the first time. It was beautiful

"I guess we better be getting back now, before he comes looking." He said taking my hand and leading me to the water's edge. Be began to help me in when I stopped him.

"Wait." I said pulling him back from the water. "Let me show you another way of leaving."

He looked around, "Where? I don't see any other openings."

I bit my tongue to keep from snickering and said, "Here, put your hand on my shoulder." He did.

I closed my eyes and thought. I was hard to concentrate with Edward touching me but I managed to do it. Suddenly we were about a mile from where we left mine and Edward's family. The sun was still shining brightly overhead. I looked at the position of the sun and saw it was roughly one o' clock or so. I could hear them still splashing in the water, and even the loud thuds of them hitting the volleyball to each other. I was willing to bet that with all that screaming going on, they would not be able to hear us.

"Whoa! How'd we end up here?" Edward gasped. Oh, I had forgotten.

"I'm sorry; I forgot to tell you I can also teleport to any location in the world I choose." I said looking a little sheepish.

He thought for a moment then with a knowing grin, he said, "So that's how you and your brothers were able to disappear out of nowhere. I've wanted to ask you about that."

"Right. That also reminds me. When Lucky attacked you the other day, why didn't you evade him? You could read his mind, why not?"

He sobered up, looked at me and simply said, "I deserved it." I left it at that.

"Come on, Emmett's starting to wonder where we are." He said taking my hand.

I stopped him again. When he looked at me quizzically, I took off my pearl bracelet and slid it over his hand onto his wrist. I was glad I went with the elastic cord. "There. That means I **will** read your mind before this week is over. You can trust me because I will want that back by then. Until then you keep it." I said.

He looked at the bracelet, turning his wrist over and over again to look at it from all angles and looked back at me. "Did you make this?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yes. Right before you came yesterday I was out in the water looking for pearls to make this."

He reached over and wrapped his arms around me in a rib-breaking hug. "Thank you." Was all he said. I knew he said that because I was going to read his mind and not for the bracelet.

I hugged him back for a moment before we released each other. He took my hand again and led us back to the beach where everyone was still playing water volleyball.

**Just to clear a few things up. Bella and Edward are ****NOT**** together yet, they are merely friends at this point in the story.**

**And I know most stories get worse before they get their happy ending, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to do that. Just a few more chapters before the end.**

**If you have any suggestions for what should happen next please feel free to share.**


	6. Uh Oh

**Sorry, took a little longer than expected to get this up.**

**Hope you like it.**

It turns out that Luke wasn't as pissed as I thought he would be. Until I told him.

As soon as Edward and I came into view, Luke got out of the water. He came over to me and gave me a hug. Something told me that he knew about what went on in the cave, but I didn't care.

Luke grabbed my hand and tried to lead me away from Edward but I pulled back, stopping him.

"Luke, can I talk to you?"

He looked at me and said, "Sure. Do you want to go to the cave?"

I shook my head, "No here is fine." I looked at Edward, "Can you give us a minute please?"

"Sure." He gave me one last look as he made his way towards his family.

Luke and I walked a little farther down the beach so we would not be heard as easily. When we got far enough, I stopped and looked at Luke.

"So, what's on your mind, sweetie?" He said.

I steeled myself for what I was about to say, "Look, Edward and I talked things over and I think things a sort of okay between us again."

He looked at me, "What does that mean, 'sort of okay'. Did you finally tell him off or something?"

I shook my head. "No. But I think we might be friends right now. Over the next day I am going to decide on if I want him in my life again or not. So that means that he and I are going to be spending more time together."

Luke blanched, "What? How can you do that? Don't you remember what he did to you?"

I stood my ground and looked him in the eye, "Yes, I remember Luke, thanks for bringing it up. Look, the point is, he still loves me, and I'm pretty sure I still love him. He gave me permission to read his mind to see if his thoughts are true." Then I remembered that Luke didn't know that Edward could read minds.

Luke blanched again, "You mean to tell me that _he_ can read minds? And you're going to use his power to read his?"

I nodded my head. Luke stood there for perhaps five minutes just staring at me before I got bored. I decided to head back to the families but Luke reached around and grabbed my wrist.

"Luke, let go" I snapped. Trying but failing to pull my hand free. I didn't even bother to use his nickname, I was too mad.

"Bella, I can't let you do this to yourself. I saw how destroyed you were when I found you in the woods that day, and I never want to see that again.

He pulled me closer and engulfed me in a hug. I did not return the gesture.

"Luke, you need to let me go. I'm done talking about this. You're going to have to get over it." I started to raise my voice.

He let me go but gripped the tops of my arms, "Bella, please, just think about what you're doing. Just think about how he left you in the woods all alone."

"Luke. Let. Go." It was the last time I would say it before I would teleport out of there.

"Fine, how about when he put you in danger with that James character. He should have been smart enough to keep you out of the vicinity." His grip on my arms tightened. It was starting to hurt.

Just as I was about to close my eyes and concentrate, I heard a voice, "Take your hands off her!" Edward shouted in rage and defiance.

My eyes snapped open and I turned my head to see him coming up to us fast with Emmett and Beau on either side of him.

The rest of our families joined in a moment later. Everyone that was not involved stood off to the side but on their respective sides.

Beau was the first to speak, "Lucky, dude, let her go you know you don't want to hurt her." He tried to say in a calming voice.

Ian spoke next, "He's right Luke. This is Bella's choice, we have no right to interfere." He tried to reason with him.

Luke looked like he wasn't even listening, and in reality, I wasn't either. He and I just stared at each other, both glowering at each other trying to get the other to back down, to see each other's point of view.

Both of us didn't even notice when suddenly we were calming down and Luke let go of me backing away a few steps. Jasper.

"What's happening?" Luke asked no one in particular.

"It's Jasper, he can control emotions. He's helping us calm down." I said to Luke, and I turned my head to spot Jasper about three feet away and mouthed, "Thanks Jasper." He nodded.

"I don't want to be calm! You have no right to hurt my sister like this!" Luke screeched into the sky and lunged.

Edward was standing right behind me. He knew better than to get in the middle of family business but he was there in case I needed him, like he used to be.

And Luke was going right for Edward!

Luke was so fast that neither Edward nor any members of the families had time to react.

I knew Luke though. He and I spent so much time together that I knew all the ins and outs of his strategy. But in this case, I just had to be faster.

I steeled myself in front of Edward and threw my arms out in order to catch Luke. Hopefully he wasn't in such a rage that he would attack his own sister.

Right before impact, Luke fainted to the right and tried to go around me. I hissed my displeasure and changed my plan as well. Luke's good luck would not help him here. I was faster.

Since I was standing in between Edward and Luke, all I had to do was lean backward until I felt Edward's hard chest against my back. At that point, I only had about one eighteenth of a second left. I closed my eyes and thought hard, and in the nick of time I had teleported us to the living room of our beach house on the other side of the island.

"What…" Edward gasped out.

"It's okay Edward. We're at our beach house on the other side of the island. I'm sure Beau and Emmett will calm Luke down for us." I panted. Teleporting twice within the hour wears me out. I needed to hunt. There were no animals larger than birds on this island unless you count the sharks in the water but I wouldn't waste my time going after them. I just had to save my energy enough to manage a teleport back to the mainland. I slumped down onto the couch, exhausted.

Edward sat down on the couch next to me and took hold of my face between his strong hands and said, "Bella, are you okay? I saw in Luke's head that he was going to attack me. I didn't see it until right before you got us out of there, he's so fast."

I placed my hands on his and said, "Yes, he might even be faster than you." Was all I could say before exhaustion took over again.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there with Edward's hand on my face but after a while I found I was able to stand up. Edward stood up with me.

"Do you feel okay Bella? Do you need to hunt?" He asked concern in his eyes.

I nodded my head. "Yes, I need to hunt badly. Teleporting so much in such a short time span takes a lot out of me. I was just waiting for enough strength to teleport to the mainland."

"What? Bella, you can't teleport again. You're weak enough as it is."

Just as I was about to argue him, his phone rang. Taking one hand off my face he answered it, "Hello Alice. What's going on there?" He listened for a few seconds and I pretended to not listen. I was too weak anyway.

After a second he hung up the phone and said, "Alice says that Beau managed to calm Luke down and that they would all stay there for a while longer until Luke felt good enough to not attack me again."

I felt relieved. To be honest I didn't have the strength to go to the mainland right now.

Edward reached out to me and I walked into his waiting arms. He squeezed me tight but definitely not as tight as Luke did.

I can't believe the way Luke lashed out like that. It was horrible. I thought he would feel better about me and Edward. He was the one who said he wanted me to get past this.

"I think I need to talk to Luke." I finally said. I let go of Edward and made my way to the door. Edward grabbed my hand.

"Bella, let's give him some space for now. He needs to come to grips with you and me." Edward said as he pulled me back into the safety of his arms. He made it sound like we were already together.

"But Edward, I owe him my life. He saved me when Charlie was fishing. The least I could do is talk to him. Make him feel better. Something!" The last half of that statement was yelled into Edward's chest.

"Shh. It's okay. We'll go as soon as you feel better okay?" Edward said, trying to comfort me.

I had made up my mind. I know I was supposed to do this tomorrow but I wanted to know how he felt about me now. Besides, if I catch him off guard like this, he won't have time to create images that aren't the truth.

While still in his arms, a reached out with my mind until I felt Edward's presence. I never knew how my power worked or how I could use other vampire's powers. I always imagined it like I was mentally reaching inside someone's head and pulling out that little quirk that triggered the powers and using it myself.

When I managed to get Edward's little 'quirk', I turned it around and used it on him. Edward had no idea what was going on. Right now, to him, we were just holding each other. I quickly got to work.

The thoughts I heard surprised me.

"_I don't blame her for not trusting me considering what I've done to her in the past. She deserves so much more than me."_

I delved deeper.

_I just wish that she would see that I love her, still love her, and will always love her._

I went even deeper, and saw images this time.

It was our first kiss. When he realized that he loved me and not just the blood that used to flow through my veins. He was so scared of hurting me and I went and ruined it by attacking him. I could feel the love radiating off of him like a beacon in the night.

Time went forward. I was lying on the floor of the dancing studio just after Edward had sucked James' venom out of my hand. Edward was sobbing with relief that I was still alive, that he did not kill me himself.

Fast forward again, and we were standing in the woods in almost the same exact spot where I met Luke. Edward was telling me that he did not want me anymore. He fought with himself the entire time, trying to convince himself that leaving me was the best thing for me. When he kissed me on the forehead he almost stopped the charade right there and begged for my forgiveness.

He was berated by his family when he got home that night, surrounded by yelling and cursing. He tuned it all out, still trying to convince himself that I was going to be happy he was gone. He couldn't have been more wrong.

Without warning, time went forward yet again. He was looking at a television through the window of someone's house. The news was on showing footage of the shell of my old truck, burned to almost nothing but ashes. The pain that assaulted me was unbearable. He was convinced that the body in the truck was me as was what everyone was supposed to think, and that I had did that on purpose. He was thinking about killing himself only to be stopped by Alice who saw his vision. I would have to remember to thank her later.

Time went forward one more time. His first sight of me fifty years later, but it was just the other day. It was through Jasper's eyes, but Edward knew it was me without a doubt. Excitement and adrenaline was coursing through his thoughts when he saw me in the woods trying to run away. He was too consumed by shock the first time to form a coherent sentence. But when I and my family had disappeared in front of their eyes he snapped to attention.

"_Where did she go? We have to find her!"_ he said.

"_She's alive! Esme will be so happy! How did she disappear like that?"_ Alice said, clapping her hands together. After that outburst she had a vision. Edward viewed her vision along with her. They knew where we were at that moment. Every one of them made their way to their house to pick up Carlisle and Esme. Once they got to our house, Edward saw me again.

"_Oh God, she's so beautiful."_ His eyes were glued to me the entire time.

"_I can't blame her for being livid with me."_ He thought dejectedly when Luke and I got into an argument about the Cullens.

I saw more thoughts then. They were of ways he could talk to me, to get me to see his point of view, to somehow forgive him. Edward was ecstatic when Ian asked his family to the resort with us.

"_This is fantastic! While we're there I can ask for her forgiveness. I'll get down on my knees and beg if I have to."_

I broke off the connection with Edward suddenly. I was extremely exhausted. I would have collapsed to the floor if Edward hadn't caught me.

"Bella! Are you all right? Say something!" He yelled out desperately.

While I sat there huffing I tried to form a response.

"Bella, please! Say something or I'm taking you to Carlisle!"

"No, I'm alright. Just winded." I managed to get out.

Edward sighed with relief and picked me up and laid me on the couch.

He stood over me with curiosity, "What were you doing that you passed out?"

I took a moment to form the words, "I was sort of reading your mind."

His eyes widened, "What- what did you see?" He asked almost in a shy way. Good thing he didn't care about me doing it tomorrow.

I smiled and looked at him, "You love me."

Edward stood there for a moment, and then he smiled and said, "Of course I love you. I told you all that back in the cave. No one can love anyone as much as I love you." He said, getting down on his knees next to the couch.

I managed to sit up on the couch on my knees facing him. "I just wanted to make sure." I managed to say before grabbing his face in both hands and pulled him to me.

Our lips met in a way that was like our first kiss. But since we were both vampires now there was no give to my lips. We were both made of stone now. Edward ran his hands through my hair, memorizing my face all the way down to my neck. I did the same thing but a little slower.

I felt so good to finally have Edward kiss me like this. We could both not worry that I would break. His lips were eager against my own. No words could describe this kiss; nothing could express the passion burning in our desires and our contact. The boundaries didn't exist anymore. Though we didn't need air, our breathing quickened.

In my haze, a realized that his hands had traveled down to my knees. Without warning, he grasped each knee and pulled. He lifted me off the couch so I was against his chest and also higher than him. My lips refused to break contact even though I was straddling his hips in mid-air.

"I love you" I managed to gasp out.

"I love you too." He said back.

Though I wanted to stay in this position forever, there was something I had to do first. Someone I had to talk to.

Regretfully, I broke the kiss. Edward tried in vain to capture my lips again. I laughed like I haven't laughed in fifty years.

"Edward, I have to talk to Luke. Mostly to make sure he understands."

After a moment, he nodded, setting me down. Without a word he put one finger to my chin, lifting my face to meet his lips again.

I was sure I wouldn't be able to teleport to the other side of the island but I could easily travel. I had the strength for that.

Edward and I walked hand in hand through the jungle. It took a lot longer than expected because every couple of steps Edward would stop and kiss me and every time I had to break the kiss to remind him of my objective.

When we finally broke through the jungle on the other side, everyone was still on the beach. Every pair of eyes turned to look at us. Alice, seeing Edward holding my hand, was the first to react.

"I told you! I told both of you! But no one ever listens to the psychic. 'She must not know what she's talking about, I mean, she can only _see the future_!'" She emphasized the words and waved her arms around.

I remembered that Edward would always get mad when Alice was right, but this time Edward didn't react. He simply smiled and messed his favorite sister's hair.

I looked through the faces until I saw the one I came here to see.

Luke was sitting on a rock by the shore, facing toward the water but his face was turned toward us. I let go of Edward's hand and walked over to him.

When I got to him, he moved over without a word and I sat on the rock next to him. He looked like a child that got caught writing on the wall with a crayon. It was a strange look for him.

"So, you're going back to him?" He said quietly.

"Yes, I am."

He nodded, "I suppose that fair."

We sat in silence for a few moments more. Then he turned to me and said.

"Look, I'm really sorry about yelling at you and hurting you. I didn't mean it, but I was just so angry. I thought that you weren't seeing things clearly. You know that I would never hurt you; I just thought that you were making a mistake. I'm really sorry. I-"

"Lucky, stop, that's enough. I know that you meant no harm; you were just trying to protect me. Thank you for that." I said with a smile.

He still looked like a child. "So you forgive me?" He asked.

I laughed, "Like I could ever stay mad at you!" I said, punching his shoulder. The funny thing was that he didn't expect that and I had knocked him off the rock and into the water. I laughed even harder that I was able to get the edge on him.

Once he got out of the water, he and I made our way back to our families. Without a thought, I instantly went to Edward's side. Luke walked up to Edward and said.

"Look man, I'm sorry for acting like I did. You have a great woman there, and she deserves you." Luke said while holing out his hand for Edward to shake.

Edward took it without pause and said, "Thank you. I'm glad we have your blessing."

Luke's face suddenly darkened, "But you listen to me. If you _ever _hurt her again; you won't have to worry about anything else in life. You'll wish you had never met her." He warned. In all truth, I was a little scared.

Edward smiled as he looked down at me. "There's no chance. Unless she orders me away, I'm not ever leaving her side again." My smile returned. Alice shrieked in joy.

**It's not over yet. Couple more chaps left.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


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